1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hygroscopic insect-proofing composition, and more particularly to a trioxane-containing composition which is useful in insect-proofing and damp proofing of clothing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Sublimable substances such as camphor, naphthalene and p-dichlorobenzene have been used as insect-proofing agents for clothing.
These conventional sublimable substances have the defect of giving off peculiar inherent irritating odors which remain in clothing after storage. Camphor and naphthalene have a weak action on clothing harmful insects such as case-making clothes moth (Tinea pellionella Linne) and various carpet beetles such as Attagenus piceus Oliv and Authrenus verbasci Linne. p-Dichlorobenzene has toxicity and causes environmental pollution.
The present inventors previously developed a sublimable insect-proofing agent comprising 1,3,5-trioxane (hereinafter called "trioxane") as an active ingredient (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 115802/1988). The insect-proofing agent gives off only slight odor, which will disappear from clothing immediately after storage.
Thrioxane is a solid substance having a flash point of 40.degree. C. (as measured by a Setaflash.RTM. Closed-Cup Apparatus in accordance with ASTM) and hence will never happen to give off sufficient vapor to flash, as long as it is used in ordinary manner as a home insect-proofing agent. But it is not guaranteed that trioxane is free from the risk of flashing in the atmosphere of abnormally high temperature or in the presence of a flame source. Therefore, it is desirable to have an increased flash point by mixing trioxane with another substance.
Another common problem encountered when storing clothing is that the clothing would be subject to an undesirable phenomenon such as getting musty in the atmosphere of high humidity. Heretofore, various hygroscopic agents have been used in order to eliminate this problem.
Consequently, both an insect-proofing agent and a hygroscopic agent are necessary at the same time for problem-free storage of clothing. In that case, a number of tablets (balls or otherwise shaped bodies) of insect-proofing agent and a number of tablets (balls or otherwise shaped bodies) of hygroscopic agent must be placed individually here and there in a wardrobe or a dresser, which is laborious and time-consuming.